Unruly scenes in Punjab Assembly over Sidhu Moosewala murder

Chandigarh: The Punjab Assembly on Thursday witnessed unruly scenes after AAP ministers and Congress members had a heated exchange of words over the issue of pruning of security cover of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala who was brutally murdered last year.

Following a war of words with the Aam Aadmi Party members, the Congress MLAs walked out of the House.

During the Zero Hour in the ongoing budget session of the Vidhan Sabha, Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira reminded the treasury benches that Moosewala's parents Balkaur Singh and Charan Kaur on Tuesday had staged a 'dharna' outside the House, seeking justice in the murder of their son.

Khaira, the Bholath MLA, said the parents had demanded action against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's media advisor Baltej Pannu for allegedly sharing information about the withdrawal of security cover of several people, including Moosewala, on social media, a day before the singer's murder.

Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Sidhu Moosewala, was shot dead in Punjab's Mansa district on May 29 last year.

Sharing information about the security pruning of Moosewala was the direct reason behind Moosewala's murder, said Khaira.

Punjab Cabinet minister Aman Arora informed the House that police booked 40 persons in connection with the Moosewala murder case, of which 29 had been arrested while two were neutralized.

A process of extraditing Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar, the alleged mastermind behind the murder, is going on, said Arora while adding that two charge sheets have been filed in the case.

He further said that shooters involved in the murders of Moosewala and kabaddi player Sandeep Nangal Ambian came from the neighbouring state of Haryana.

The minister said the neighbouring states have become the “breeding ground of gangsters”, saying criminals come to Punjab and leave after committing a crime.

Interrupting Arora, Leader of Opposition and Congress MLA Partap Singh Bajwa asked the minister that they were talking about the “leakage” of information pertaining to the security cover of Moosewala which was shared by Baltej Pannu, the media advisor to the chief minister's office.

He asked Arora whether the state government would take action against Pannu.

Replying to Bajwa, Arora said giving or withdrawal of security cover comes out in public domain and it is not a “rocket science”.

Then a heated exchange took place between members of the treasury benches and the Congress MLAs.

Minister Arora accused the Congress members of misguiding the people, saying that Moosewala's security was only partially withdrawn.

Arora said Moosewala did not take his two remaining gunmen and his bullet proof vehicle along on that day.

Taking on the government over the law and order issue, Congress MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said the parents of Moosewala were demanding delivery of justice in the murder case of their son.

On this, Punjab Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said that CM Mann would meet Moosewala's parents after March 20.

A heated argument ensued between Dhaliwal and Warring.

Dhaliwal accused the Congress and Akalis of playing politics on the “thousands of bodies” after 1980, prompting the Congress MLAs to protest against the minister, eventually leading to pandemonium in the House.

The Congress MLAs rushed to the well of the House and raised slogans against the AAP government.

The treasury benches led by minister Dhaliwal also shouted slogans against the Congress members while the Speaker pleaded with the MLAs not to raise slogans.

Later, the Congress members walked out of the House.